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Copy 1 CONSTITUTION 



BY- LAWS 



JQaHonal 'Upj^pfbh (JKu& 

OF THE UNITED STATES. 



HEADQUARTERS: WASHINGTON, D. C. 



Organized August, 1872. 



This Constitution and Code of By-Laws adopted 
November 30, 1880. 



• • • 



washington, d. c. 

Gibson Brothers, Printers. 

1881. 



CONSTITUTION 



Preamble. 

We, former comrades in arms, in order to 
preserve the grand achievements of the heroic 
struggle for constitutional liberty and union ; to 
promote loyalty, justice, and patriotism, and to 
maintain our free institutions, the integrity of 
the Union, the honor of our flag and the 
supremacy of the Nation, do hereby organize 
ourselves as'an association, and, for our guidance, 
do establish and adopt the following Constitu- 
tion : 

Aeticle I. — Name. 

This organization shall be known as The 
National Veteran Club of the United States 

Article II. — Headquarters. 

The domicile and headquarters of this Club 
shall be located in the city of Washington, Dis- 
trict of Columbia. 

Article III. — Seal. 

This Club shall have an official seal, which 
shall be affixed to all official papers or documents 
of the Club. Said seal shall remain in the cus- 
tody of the Recording Secretary. 

Article IV. — MemhersMp. 
Any honorably discharged soldier or sailor of 



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the United States, wlio served in the War of 
the Rebellion, who is of reputable character, 
and is in good standing as a member of the Re- 
publican party, shall be eligible to membership 
in this Club, and may become a member there- 
of by subscribing to this Constitution. 

Article V. — Honorary Membership. 

Any person may become an honorary mem- 
ber of this Clnb who shall receive a two-thirds 
vote of the members present at any regular 
meeting. 

Article VI. — Officers. 

The officers of this Club shall consist of a 
President, two Vice-Presidents, a Recording 
Secretary, a Corresponding Secretary, a Finan- 
cial Secretary, and a Treasurer, who shall be 
elected by ballot, annually, at the first regular 
meeting in the month of April, a majority of 
votes being necessary to a choice. They shall 
remain in office until their successors have been 
elected and inducted into office. 

Article VII. — Committees. 

There shall be an Executive Committee, con- 
sisting of five members, a Finance Committee 
of three members, and a committee of three on 
membershij?, which shall be appointed by the 
President of the Club. 

Article VIII. — Meetings. 

The regular meetings of this Club shall be 
held on the first Tuesday of each month. Spe- 



cial meetings may be called by the President, 
whenevei- necessary ; and he shall call such 
meetings on the written request of five mem- 
bers, public notice of which shall be given in a 
daily newspaper. 

Article IX. — Quorum. 

A quorum for the transaction of business at 
any regular or sj^ecial meeting shall consist of 
not less than nine members. 

Article X. — Applications. 

All applications for membership shall be 
made in writing, and the applicant must be 
recommended by at least two members. Such 
application shall be referred to the Committee 
on Membership ; and, upon a favorable report, 
the applicant shall be balloted for; when, if 
not more than two adverse ballots ai:)pear, he 
shall be declared elected. 

Article XI. — Fees. 

The admission fee for membership in this 
Club shall be three dollars, payable in advance. 

Article XII. — Dues. 

The monthly dues to this Club shall be twen- 
tj'-five cents, payable at each monthly meeting. 
Any member in arrears four months shall, after 
due notice by the Financial S?cretar3% be 
dropped from the rolls. But he may be reinstated 
upon payment of arrears and a vote of the Club. 

Article XIII. — Penalties. 

Any member who shall appear at any meet- 



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iug of this Club, or on parade, in an intoxica^ 
ted condition ; or who shall conduct himself in 
an unseemly manner ; or be charged with any 
misdemeanor, or any act unbecoming a gentle- 
man, shall have charges preferred against him ; 
and, after a full hearing, shall, if found guilty, 
be expelled from the Club — two-thirds of the 
members present at any regular meeting rgree- 
ing thereto. 

Akticle XIV. — Withdrawals. 

Any member may withdraw from the Club at, 
his written request, provided all arrears of dues 
are paid ; upon which a certificate of discharge 
shall be granted, on application to the Recording 
Secretary, and the payment of twenty-five 
cents. 

Aeticle XV. — Ainendments. 

This Constitution may be altered or amended 
by a two-thirds vote of the members present at 
any regular meeting of the Club, a written 
notice of the proposed amendment having been 
given, in open meeting, at least one month 
prior to action being taken thereon. 



BY-LAWS. 



Section 1. It shall be the duty of the Presi- 
dent to preside at all meetings of the Club, 
when present, and to pi'eserve order therein ; 
to sign all orders on the Treasurer for the pay- 
ment of all moneys, when such payment shall 
shall be authorized by the Executive Committee 
or the Club. 

Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the Vice-Presi- 
dents — in the order of senioiitj^ — in the absence 
of the President, to perform the duties of that 
officer, as prescribed in the Constitution and 
By-Laws. 

Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the Kecording 
Secretary to keep complete and accurate minutes 
of the pi'oceedings of the Club, to record the 
same in a journal kept for that purpose, and to 
notify members of each meeting. 

Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of the Correspond- 
ing Secretary to conduct all the correspondence 
of the Club, to keep files of all communications 
received,^ and copies of all letters transmitted. 

Sec 5. It shall be the duty of the Financial 
Secretary to collect all moneys due the Club ; 
to pay the same over to the Treasurer, taking 
his receipt therefor ; and to report the same 
in writing to the Club at each regvilar meeting. 

Sec. G. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer 
to receive all moneys from the Financial Secre- 



e 

tary, and to keep the same securely ; to pay 
all orders when signed by the President and 
attested by the Recording Secretary, and to re- 
port in writing to the Club the condition of 
the funds at each monthly meeting. 

Sec. 7. It shall be the duty of the Executive 
Committee to perform all acts and to exercise 
such powers as may be prescribed and conferred 
by the Constitution and By-Laws not otherwise 
provided for ; and they shall appoint one of 
their number to take charge of the property of 
the Club. 

Sec. 8. It shall be the duty of the Finance 
Committee to solicit contributions, collect mon- 
eys, audit all bills, and to devise ways and 
means to support the objects and purposes of 
the Club. 

Sec. 9. It shall be the duty of the Committee 
on Membership to investigate all applications 
for admission, and to report thereon, giving the 
status of the applicant, at the next regular meet- 
ing of the Club after the receipt of such api^li- 
cation. 

Sec. 10. The Recording Secretarj'- shall be ex- 
empt from the payment of all dues. 

Sec. 11. The Financial Secretary shall receive, 
as compensation, ten (10) per cent, on all dues 
collected by him, other than such as may be 
paid in at the regular meetings of the Club. 

Sec. 12. The time occupied by any speaker, 
in debate on any question, shall be limited to 
five (5) minutes, unless he be granted leave to 
proceed by the Club. 



Sec. 13. " Cushing's Manual " shall be author- 
ity on all questions wherein the Constitution and 
By-Laws are silent. 

Sec. 14. The uniform of the Club shall be the 
Army regulation hat, with a gold and black cord, 
dark clothing, the Club badge, and white gloves. 

Sec. 15, This uniform shall be worn upon all 
occasions of ceremony or parades, and no mem- 
ber shall be allowed in the ranks who is not so 
equipped. 

Sec 10. No smoking shall be allowed in the 
hall during the meetings of the Club. 

Sec 17. The following order of business shall 
be observed at all regular meetings of the Club : 

1. Calling of the roll. 

2. Payment of dues. 

3. Reading of the minutes. 

4. Reports of committees. 

5. Unfinished business. 
C. New business. 

7. Adjournment. 

Sec 18. These By-laws may be amended by 
a two-thirds vote of the members present at any 
regular meeting of the Club, one month's notice 
having been given in M-riting, and any of them 
may be suspended at any meeting, for a special 
purpose, by a two-thirds vote of the members 
present, but only for a single meeting. 



18SO. 
J. O. p. BURNSIDE, Fresident. 
J. B. TANNER, ist Vice-President. 
J. T. SMITH, 2^ Vice-President. 
H. D. NORTON, Rec. Sec'y. 
J. R. THOMPSON, Cor. Sec'y. 
T. H. RIDGATE, Fin. Sec'y. 
S. W. CLARK, Treasurer. 
M. E. URELL, Marshal. 
J. H. STINE, Quartermaster. 

J. R.THOMPSON, 
J. T. SMITH, G. N. LAMPHERE, 

E. A. CARMAN, M. E. URELL, 

Executive Comtnittee. 



N. P. Chipman, 

President. 

J. O. P. BURNSIUE, 

1st Vice-President. 

0. D. Kinsman, 

1st Vice-President. 

1. S. TiCHENOR, 

2d Vice-President. 
A. H. G. Richardson, 

Rec. Sec'y. 
J. R. Thompson, 

Cor. Sec'y. 

C. C. Adams, 

Treastirer. 
W. A. Short, 

Marshal. 

D. W. Bliss, 

T. LUBEY, 

H. G.Otis, 
J. W. Frazee, 
O. D. Kinsman, 

Ex. Committee, 



187'6. 

I. S. TiCHENOR, 

President. 
O. D. Kinsman, 

1st Vice-President. 
J. O. P. Burnside, 

2d Vice-President. 

A. H. G. Richardson, 

Rec. Sec'y. 
J. R. Thompson, 

Cor. Sec'y. 
C. C. Adams, 

Treasurer. 
W. H. Turner, 

Marshal. 

B. F. Hawkes, 

Quarter-Master . 

T. LUBEY, 

J. R. Thompson, 

C. C. Adams, 

J. O. P. Burnside, 
J. T. Smith, 

E.x. Covniiittee. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



012 196 781 S 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 





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